Jane Harman resigned from Congress February 28, 2011 to join the Woodrow Wilson Center as its first female Director, President and CEO.

Representing the aerospace center of California during nine terms in Congress, she served on all the major security committees: six years on Armed Services, eight years on Intelligence, and eight on Homeland Security. During her long public career, Harman has been recognized as a national expert at the nexus of security and public policy issues, and has received numerous awards for distinguished service.

She is a member of the Defense Policy Board, the State Department Foreign Policy Board, and the Homeland Security Advisory Committee. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the Trilateral Commission and the Advisory Board of the Munich Security Conference.

Harman is a Trustee of the Aspen Institute and the University of Southern California. She is also a member of the Presidential Debates Commission.

A product of Los Angeles public schools, Harman is a magna cum laude graduate of Smith College, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and Harvard Law School. Prior to serving in Congress, she was Staff Director of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitutional Rights, Deputy Cabinet Secretary to President Jimmy Carter, Special Counsel to the Department of Defense, and in private law practice.

Presidential elections in Egypt mark yet another milestone in the country’s turbulent political journey of the past three years. Will the election of a new president usher in a period of greater security, prosperity and good governance or a continuation of uncertainty and volatility in Egyptian politics and economic life? And what will a new President mean for the US-Egyptian relationship? Four veteran analysts of Egypt and its politics offer their observations on these critical matters in this Ground Truth Briefing. more

The May 25 presidential election in Ukraine will represent a critical turning point in the ongoing crisis. Many questions hang in the balance as the date approaches. Will the elections be conducted peacefully, especially in eastern Ukraine? What will the turnout be? What role will Russia play? Will the first round produce a conclusive result? more

Have we returned to the zero-sum game mentality from our Cold War past? Did we ever leave it? Or is this some kind of deep freeze with the Russians? And just how cold (or hot) is it going to get? Join us as three veteran analysts, practitioners, and scholars of Russia and the U.S.-Russian relationship discuss and debate these issues in this latest National Conversation. more

In a conversation with Wilson Center President Jane Harman, Ambassador Lamberto Zannier, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will present the OSCE’s priorities for restoring stability in Ukraine and discuss the impact of the crisis on European and Euro-Atlantic security. more

Iran and the P5 plus 1 completed an interim agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue. Negotiators began meeting in Vienna in February to take on the challenge of a comprehensive accord. What are the chances of success, and what are the implications of failure -- for the United States, Iran, and the region at large? In this University Conversation, three veteran observers of U.S. policy, Iran, and the region take on these important questions. more

"American opponents of women's rights used to argue that "biology is destiny" and that therefore women's role in the world had to be limited to bearing and raising children. Women like my mother and me who wanted more than that felt like outsiders in the 1950s and 1960s –and in too many parts of the world this is still true," writes Jane Harman. more

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"Mid-[level] to senior staffers stay on the Hill for a long time -- they are the staffers that members rely on. Maybe we can develop a professional cadre of informed bipartisan staff who will help the institution of Congress do much better policymaking. That's what the agenda is," Jane Harman said about the Wilson Center's new foreign policy fellowship program.

In this opinion piece, Wilson Center President Jane Harman argues that a FISA-like process for governing so-called "remote-control warfare" --the use of drone strikes and offensive cyberattacks--would protect individual liberties enshrined in the Constitution while confronting a supercharged threat environment.

Israel’s surprising election result gives its wing-clipped prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, an opportunity to shift to the center, to reset the U.S.-Israeli relationship, and to seek a two-state solution, writes Jane Harman.

North Korea's first successful rocket launch is a truly dangerous development. Although the North Koreans have previously detonated two nuclear devices, until now they have not demonstrated any ability to deliver them. Weaponizing a missile is hard, but Pyongyang's close ally Iran has made great advances in miniaturizing warheads. With the combination of North Korea's nuclear bombs and Iran's technology, a nuclear-tipped missile could be capable of striking the West Coast of the United States in the near future. We can no longer afford to ignore North Korea.

"The referendum on Egypt's constitution scheduled for Saturday is a sign that Egyptians of varying views are finally playing politics, not just planning protests. Washington should embrace this in its newfound role of providing guidance without interfering. In other words, it should be coach, not captain," writes Jane Harman in The Washington Post.

"Too often, the "winner-takes-all" Mubarak model persists in Egyptian politics. Instead of engaging or working within the system, and compromising, opposition forces protest in Tahrir Square or boycott. While these tactics won a revolution, they will not build a democracy," writes Jane Harman.

When the Petraeus news hit, congressional leaders bemoaned not being notified beforehand. Gwen Ifill talks to Wilson Center President and former ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee Jane Harman and former Justice Department official Matthew Miller about when and if Congress and the president should be briefed on such investigations.

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The May 25 presidential election in Ukraine will represent a critical turning point in the ongoing crisis. Many questions hang in the balance as the date approaches. Will the elections be conducted peacefully, especially in eastern Ukraine? What will the turnout be? What role will Russia play? Will the first round produce a conclusive result?

Have we returned to the zero-sum game mentality from our Cold War past? Did we ever leave it? Or is this some kind of deep freeze with the Russians? And just how cold (or hot) is it going to get? Join us as three veteran analysts, practitioners, and scholars of Russia and the U.S.-Russian relationship discuss and debate these issues in this latest National Conversation.

In a conversation with Wilson Center President Jane Harman, Ambassador Lamberto Zannier, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will present the OSCE’s priorities for restoring stability in Ukraine and discuss the impact of the crisis on European and Euro-Atlantic security.

Iran and the P5 plus 1 completed an interim agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue. Negotiators began meeting in Vienna in February to take on the challenge of a comprehensive accord. What are the chances of success, and what are the implications of failure -- for the United States, Iran, and the region at large? In this University Conversation, three veteran observers of U.S. policy, Iran, and the region take on these important questions.

Twenty years ago, the 1994 Brussels Summit marked the beginning of NATO’s post-Cold War expansion. It was a process that resonated differently on opposite sides of the former “iron curtain” in the midst of complex and evolving relations between Russia and the West. This year will be no less pivotal for European security as the crisis in Ukraine brings renewed attention to Eastern Europe and the drawdown of NATO forces in Afghanistan continues. Amid these new and ongoing challenges, NATO will hold a summit in September to chart its future course. This panel of distinguished senior officials and experts will reflect on the steps that created Europe’s current security architecture, as well as the advantages and constraints NATO will face in addressing the security challenges of the 21st century.

On April 5, Afghans head to the polls as the country attempts its first-ever peaceful and democratic transfer of power. Three experts on the ground will discuss the election results —to the extent that they are known—and their implications.

During a humanitarian crisis, food relief, critical medical care, and access to safe water and basic sanitation facilities all require a humanitarian as well as a diplomatic response. No one is better placed to help us understand these complex shifts than Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross. In this Director's Forum event, Maurer will talk with Jane Harman to give a first-hand update on the key challenges the ICRC faces.

NATO ally Turkey, long a stable, reliable and pluralistic Western partner has been shaken by a swirl of corruption allegations. In the lead up to the March 30 municipal elections, seen by many as a referendum on his leadership, Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has responded with mass dismissals and censorship, including attempts this week to ban Twitter and YouTube. In this Ground Truth Briefing, three experts discuss the implications for Turkey and the region.

A panel of experts, including R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of Drug Control Policy at the White House, discusses reforming current policies combating illegal drugs in the United States and Latin America.